26 July 1999
DAILY REVIEW FROM TATARSTAN
Petrochemical Production Grows Markedly
Tatarstan's prime minister, Rustam Minnikhanov, said the growth in petrochemical production in the first six months of this year was the strongest of the last five years. Minnikhanov made his comments on 23 July in Tuben Kama at a meeting to discuss Tatarstan's petrochemical industry so far this year. Growth in production through June was 5.5 percent. At Tatarstan's main petrochemical enterprise, Nizhnekamskneftekhim, growth was 4 percent. Production volume was worth a total of 37 billion rubles ($1.48 million). Minnikhanov said that in order to better supply enterprises, quotas will be introduced in the exporting of raw materials from the republic. It was also agreed that there will be a restructuring of the companies' debts to the republican budget and budget funds.
Shaimiev Meets With Writers Union Chairman
Tatar President Mintimer Shaimiev held talks on 24 July with Foat Galimullin, the newly elected chairman of Tatarstan's Writers Union, on the creation of better conditions for creative literary work, Tatar Television reported. Galimullin heads the Tatar Language and Literature department at Kazan pedagogical university. Shaimiev said he supported the idea of organizing a house for writers in the republic and spoke on the necessity of the state financing book publishing.
Heroin Seized In Tuben Kama
The biggest cache of heroin, some 560 grams, has been seized by Interior Ministry bodies in Tuben Kama, Tatar Television reported on 24 July. As Deputy Interior Minister Rinat Timerzyanov told a press-conference on 23 July, the crime rate has grown by some 40 percent since the beginning of the year. He said that the battle against property crime and organized criminal groups is the ministry's top priority. Timerzyanov also said there had been personnel changes in several of Tatarstan's district interior ministries because of some officials incompetency.
Tatar Official Meets With Danish Diplomat
Tatarstan's plenipotentiary representative in Moscow, Nazif Mirikhanov, met in the Russian capital on 22 July with the advisor to the Danish premier, the international secretary of the Danish Social Democratic Party, E. Boel, Mirikhanov's spokesman said. Boel expressed special interest in the role performed by Tatarstan within the Russian Federation and in its relations with Moscow. Boel said that Tatar President Shaimiev has a respected and constructive opinion on many domestic and international issues. Boel invited Tatarstan's state officials to visit Denmark.
Compiled by Gulnara Khasanova